AP United States Government & Politics Summer Assignment

Transcription

1 AP United States Government & Politics Summer Assignment Welcome to Advanced Placement United States Government & Politics. The AP GOV exam will cover a wide range of topics regarding government and politics and demands that you be prepared and committed to taking a challenging year-long course. As part of this preparation process, you will be required to complete the summer assignment detailed below. We have a LOT to cover this year and the summer homework will place you on the right track toward the ultimate goal of passing the AP GOV exam! There will be absolutely no unethical behavior regarding the completion of your summer homework (i.e. copying answers from the book or off of the internet, sharing work with someone else from class, etc.). This assignment is to be done alone. Your summer assignment will be the first opportunity to demonstrate your ability and determination to be successful in this course; so please put your best effort into this assignment. A failure to complete the summer assignment at an acceptable standard will place you behind in the course, jeopardize your grade, and/or endanger your enrollment in AP GOV. * Please note: we will review your summer homework the first week of class and you will have a quiz on the Constitution, the first 10 amendments & the general concepts of the U. S. Government during the first few days of class so, complete your summer assignment and study! Assignment- the basics : 1) Read the U.S. Constitution (use: ). I also have a pdf of the Constitution under the ABOUT tab on your AP Gov google classroom. There is also a copy in your textbook. Use the Constitution and your textbook to complete your summer assignment, which is attached. 2) * Bring your assignment to the first day of class Thursday August 16th. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ACCEPTED! You can print out your assignment or be ready to submit it online at the beginning of class. This assignment will take a good amount of time, so please don t wait until the last minute. 3) Textbook Name: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AP EDITION; E-BOOK ISBN:

2 Assignment: Part 1: The Overall Structure of the Constitution Read each article of the Constitution. Summarize (in your own words) the general purpose and subject of each article in one sentence in the chart below. Article I Article II Article III Article IV Article V Article VI Article VII Questions on the overall structure 1. Compare Article I with Article II. Which Article is longer and more detailed? 2. Identify two powers denied from Congress in the Constitution. 3. How does the House of Representatives determine the rules of proceedings (the ability to have debates, amendments, etc.)? 4. Identify two powers the Constitution prohibits from the States. 5. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the

3 House? 6. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the Senate? 7. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for the President? 8. The two powers of the Constitution that are specifically granted to the branches of government or to office holders are called expressed powers. a. Identify two expressed powers of the president. b. What are the expressed powers of the vice president? c. Identify two expressed powers of Congress. 9. According to the principle of checks and balances, each branch of the government must have control over the other branches. Look at the first three articles of the Constitution and identify one of each type of checks and balances. Indicate where each power is listed in the Constitution: a. A power that the executive branch had over the legislative branch: b. A power that the executive branch holds over the judicial branch: c. A power that the legislative branch holds over the executive branch: d. A power that the legislative branch holds over the judicial branch: e. A power that the judicial branch holds over the executive branch: f. A power that the judicial branch holds over the legislative branch: 10. The court of original jurisdiction is the first court that hears a case. Appellate courts hear cases on appeal from lower courts. Although the Supreme Court functions primarily as an appellate court, it is the court of original jurisdiction in certain kinds of cases. What are those? 11. According to Article I of the Constitution, who has the power to declare war? 12. What power does the Constitution give the President in the area of war? Part 2: Questions on important clauses 1. Where is the Commerce Clause and what does it say? 2. Where is the Necessary and Proper Clause and what does it say? 3. Where is the Supremacy Clause and what does it say? 4. How might these clauses above have impacted the power of the federal government? 5. Where is the habeas corpus clause and what does it say? 6. What is habeas corpus? 7. Where are bills of attainders discussed and what does it say?

4 8. What is a bill of attainder? 9. Where are ex post facto laws discussed and what does it say? 10. What is an ex post facto law? 11. Where is the Full Faith and Credit Clause and what does it say? 12. There are two due process clauses. Where are they? What does due process of law imply? 13. Where is the Equal Protection Clause? What does it imply? Part 3: Questions on majority and supermajority The Constitution requires a simple majority for some actions and a supermajority for others. A simple majority means more than half, while supermajority requirements can involve a 2/3 majority or a 3/4 majority. Most elections in the United States require a plurality, or the most votes, but not necessarily a majority (i.e. not necessary more than 50%). 1. What bodies have the power to override a presidential veto? a. What margin is required to override a presidential veto? b. Where in the Constitution in the veto power described? 2. What body has the power to ratify treaties? a. What margin is required to ratify treaties? b. Where in the Constitution is the ratification power described? 3. To impeach means to bring charges against or to indict. What body has the power to impeach the president? a. What vote is required to impeach? b. What is the standard for impeachment? c. Where in the Constitution is the impeachment power described? 4. If no candidate for the presidency wins a simple majority of the total number of electoral votes, what body has the power to choose the president? a. What margin is required to choose the president? b. Where in the Constitution is the Electoral College described? (Hint: there are two parts) 5. The Constitution specifies a three-fourths majority for just one process. What? 6. The Constitution has comparatively little to say about the structure and composition of the Supreme Court. Identify two aspects of the Court s structure and composition that the Constitution does not specify (the Constitution does not specify these two basic aspects of structure and composition for the other two branches). 7. What are two ways that the amendments to the Constitution can be proposed? 8. What are two ways that amendments to the Constitution can be ratified?

5 Part 4: s to the Constitution Some parts of the Constitution require a simple majority, others a supermajority, while still others protect citizens from the will of the majority ( majority rules while protecting minority rights ). The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, protect citizens from the will of the majority. In other words, no majority could vote to take these rights away. Read each amendment to the Constitution and answer the questions below. Study the first ten amendments before the first week of class! Provide bullet points of ALL parts of each amendment below. Ex) the First has 5 parts - list all

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7 26 27 Questions on s 1. Which amendment(s) to the Constitution protect the rights of the accused? 2. Which amendment(s) to the Constitution protect the rights of women? 3. Which amendment(s) to the Constitution protect the rights of African Americans and other racial minorities? 4. How were U.S. Senators chosen before the Seventeenth? 5. The Twenty-fifth describes the sequence of events that would install the vice president as acting president against the will of the president. Outline that sequence of events. 6. Look over the amendments carefully. List specific groups that are explicitly protected by the Constitution. 7. Have any of the amendments been repealed? Which one(s)? How? 8. What is the only amendment that was passed based on a popular vote and not the state legislators? 9. In your opinion, what are the top three most important amendments (considering amendments only) and why? **10. Make a proposal for a 28 th amendment. Make sure you write the amendment completely and sophisticated enough that it would actually be considered in Congress. Make it a good one! We will vote on these in class and the winner will receive a delicious brownie!! Looking forward to seeing you all in August!!